“Enlightenment is a destructive process.
Ithas nothing to do with becoming better or being happier.
Enlightenment is thecrumbling away of untruth. It’s seeingthrough the facade of pretense. It’s thecomplete eradication of everything weimagined to be true.”– Adyashanti

Self-made momprenuer and human potential advocate, Ally Loprete is nationally recognized as a vibrant and dynamic public speaker, radio personality and television host. She is the founder of OurMilkMoney.com, a nationwide online business directory of self-employed parents, the host of iHeart Radio’s THIS LITTLE PARENT STAYED HOME where 6 million listeners tune in for resources and support, and the cohost of WAKE UP TV, a nationally televised broadcast for the new mainstream.

Maria Hall talks about her life as a nun in a Catholic sect in Spain for eight years, and her ability to get in touch with her spiritual side and letting go of religious rules.

The Palmarian Church: New Rome Or Fanatical Sect?

On the plains of Andalucía in Southern Spain, the huge gothic basilica of Palmar de Troya stands forever alone on a hilltop – a symbol of yet another sect which had distanced itself from mainstream Catholicism.

Basilica of Palmar de Troya

An imposing wall surrounds the basilica, reminding the world of its isolation, not only religious but actual. Carmelite priests and nuns live in silence within the walls, cut off from the world, yet dedicated to praying for its conversion. No one associated with the sect from the early days, back in the 1970s, would have envisaged such a stark building, such a degree of separation from reality or such an uncertain future.

On the death of Pope Paul VI in 1978, while many Catholics throughout the world remained confused, a small group of traditionalists had gathered around Clemente Dominquez Gomez, a visionary associated with the alleged apparitions of Palmar de Troya in the province of Seville.

The apparitions at Palmar de Troya began in 1968, when four children from the local village said that Mary, the Mother of God, had appeared to them on a hillside as they picked flowers for a school altar.

Padre Pio, Capuchin Monk, with the stigmata in his hand
Padre Pio, Capuchin Monk, with the stigmata in his hand
News of Mary’s appearance spread like wildfire and, soon, other villagers were accompanying them to the place where Mary had supposedly appeared – under a Lentisco tree.

Clemente shows the stigmata on his chest
Clemente shows the stigmata on his chest
A group of ardent believers sought acknowledgment and approval of the apparitions from the Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Seville, Cardinal Jose Maria Bueno y Monreal. Many of the alleged heavenly messages were transcribed and presented to him. However, he harshly condemned them – without making any inquiries or examining the seers – as superstitious and damaging to the Faith. Since he was acting contrary to Church law, some believers resolved to double their efforts to promote the apparitions.

One small group went so far as to travel through Europe and South America, talking about Palmar de Troya and showing slides to interested people. They even visited Pope Paul VI in Rome. On one of these journeys Clemente was involved in a serious car accident. He received horrendous injuries to his face and eyes, and both eyes were removed, leaving him completely blind.

Thanks to a large donation from a wealthy Spanish dowager, Clemente was able to buy the hillside on which the first apparitions took place. Plans were quickly drawn up for the construction of the basilica, and foundations were laid on the site of the original alleged apparitions.

In 1975 Clemente, believing that God had spoken to him in a vision, formed the Order of the Carmelites of the Holy Face (of Jesus). Although the Order didn’t have official approval from Rome, it claimed to be faithful to Pope Paul VI who was considered to be a prisoner in the Vatican – a rumour that had been circulating in traditional circles for several years. Convinced that punishment and war were inevitable if mankind did not repent, and if Catholic priests did not return to the right path and denounce heretical doctrine, Clemente encouraged priests and nuns to leave their religious congregations and join his Carmelite Order in Seville.

Pope Gregory XVII inside the Basilica
Pope Gregory XVII inside the Basilica
In 1976 Ngo Dinh Thuc, an elderly Vietnamese Archbishop, ordained Clemente and his friend, Manuel Alonso Corral who was a lawyer, to the priesthood. After their ordination he made them bishops, together with three other priests associated with the group. More ordinations followed. Although they were subsequently excommunicated by Pope Paul VI, Thuc considered that since the Church was in The Last Times, mandatory authorisation from Rome was not required. Thuc also believed that the Pope secretly supported Clemente and his followers.

When Pope Paul VI died in 1978, Clemente had a vision of himself being crowned Pope by Jesus. He claimed that Jesus had transferred the Papacy from Rome to Palmar de Troya. Clemente took the name Gregory XVII and the motto prophesied by St Malachy, ‘De Gloria Olivae’. He immediately established a College of Cardinals. The newly elected Pope in Rome, John Paul I, was considered by him to be an anti-pope.

The spirituality of the Palmarian Church is based on traditional Catholic practices: the Latin Mass, the Rosary, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Benediction, and The Stations of the Cross; however, as the years pass, Palmarian liturgy and theology veer further from traditional Catholic practice.

Pope Gregory XVIII has resigned from the Papacy having lost his faith.
Pope Gregory XVIII has resigned from the Papacy having lost his faith.
When Clemente died without warning in 2005, so did his prophesy. His successor, Padre Isidoro (Manuel Alonso Corral) took the name Peter II and, during his reign, the rules were tightened even more. On his death in 2011 he was succeeded by his Vicar General, Padre Sergio (Ginés Jesús Hernández Martínez) who took the name Gregory XVIII, until his extraordinary departure from the Order last week, when he resigned, having lost his faith. He has been succeeded by his Vicar General, Padre Eliseo (Markus Josef Odermatt) who has taken the name Peter III.

Today, more than ever, it is difficult to see a future for the Palmarian Church. Their congregation has dwindled from thousands to a few hundred worldwide, their priests and nuns are aging and dying. And many believers – including the Carmelites themselves – have been excommunicated for disobeying petty rules. Families have been torn apart, generations destroyed, inheritances given away.

The basilica stands cold and proud on a remote hilltop, clinging to unfulfilled prophesies. It is seemingly self-sufficient with solar panels and wind generators, and a small holding of sheep and cows protected by razor wire and guard dogs. One wonders about the psychological implications of such imprisonment, not only for the Carmelites but also for the believers, scattered all over the world who, by their very Faith, are separated from normal life and all friendship outside of their religion – family or otherwise.

I was a member of the Palmarian Church from 1980 – 1990, and a Carmelite nun at Palmar de Troya from 1982 – 1990. I have written a memoir: Reparation – a spiritual journey about my experiences.

Adapted from my article ‘The Palmarian Church: New Rome or Fanatical Sect.’ published April 19 2016 by Patheos Hosting the Conversation on Faith.

On Novemeber 1992, I was adopted from a private adoption agency in Jackson, Mississippi when I was three days old. I was adopted and raised by the only parents I knew of until a family member shared with me that I was adopted at the age of 6. The family member told me I was found in a trash can but of course that was not true. My mother who adopted me wanted to tell me when I was older because she felt that I was to young to know. It really hurt her when that family member told me before she could.The lady who raised me was a business woman who had owned a clothing store that was doing really well. When I three she had a nervous break down that is still unknown what caused the breakdown. She then was diagnosed with a mental illness that was beyond her control. She was abused sexually, verbally, and mentally. Some of her family members treated her very bad from the time she was a child until she was a teen. After her breakdown From my life was turned upside down. Starting at the age of five I saw a lot of painful and horrible things that no child should see. I watched my mom who raised me go in and out of mental institutions part of my whole childhood and had to be raised by different family members. People made fun of me because my mom was “crazy” in their eye sight. One of our family members took me in willingly but the others would say so many horrible things about me and my mom to me when I was a child. My dad who raised me was an alcoholic who was in and out of me and my mothers life. Even though she divorced him when I was three she still loved him and felt she needed him. He would break promises and would pick fights. We sometimes needed food and he would not be found when we needed him. They fought so much that I was such a nervous and angry child.I cried every single day and would go many sleepless nights worrying if tomorrow would be a better day. I sometimes would have to jump in the fights between him and my mom. It was horrible! We all know that no child should worry and have to jump in fights at such a young age. I was also abused when I was younger. Physically, verbally, mentally, and sexually. I would try to open up to certain family members but since I was an outcast to most of them,no one took me serious. Since I was adopted some of them disliked me for no reason. All I ever wanted was someone to listen. Some of our family members would verbally abuse me by saying horrible things to me. They would say I was a nothing, curse me out, say I was going to be like my mother who raised me, I will not make it through life, etc… I really felt like I was a nothing. In elementary school I would get in trouble and talk back due to me having to endure so much pain and misery at home. I had to repeat the third grade due to me being so worried if my mom was going to be ok and me wondering if my dad would hurt her anytime I was not home.
At twelve years old,I was sexually abused by a family members boyfriend on my dads side. My mom had no control over it due to her being in the hospital. For a long time I felt dirty after that was done to me. I felt less that the beautiful young lady I was. I also opened up to a family member about that situation but I was told to not tell anyone.. Not even my mom. As years passed there were so many other things that happened in my childhood. I never really had a normal childhood because of the things I had to endure. I was a very broken young lady and felt like everyone was out to get me. I trusted no one. I played basketball/ran track and my parents very seldom came to any of my events when I was younger. I believe my mom came to one event when I was younger. My dad was out in the world living his life and my mom was to busy living hers. They would rather hang out with their friends rather than coming to my school activities. I grew angry and no one understood why. I would get very angry. People would judge me and say I was miserable for no reason but never knew my story. Some knew but I come from a town where people keep secrets. I felt as if I wasn’t worth nobody’s time. I hated me for a long time.
My mother and I never saw eye to eye. At this time she was never home. All I wanted was her there with me. I needed guidance. I needed love and support from the both of my parents. At the age of fourteen I went looking for love. I felt no one loved me. I felt as if I was nothing too no one. When I would get home from school my mother would be gone. There would not be anything to eat or nothing.. I met an older guy who was eight years older than me. He showed me all the love and support in the world. He made me feel loved. After months of messing around, I ended up pregnant at the age of fifteen years old. I had her at sixteen. I knew if no one else loved me he and my baby would. I cared so much for him. I just knew he would be the one who loves me through it all but I was wrong. He was very abusive. For five years I took all of his abuse and torture. I was so used to being in an abusive environment until I felt that this is what life is supposed to be like. I had low self esteem and felt no one wanted me but him. My self-esteem was so bad that I would need several people to tell me I was beautiful before I really believed it. Then when people told me I was beautiful I would freeze up and get very uncomfortable. It was bad! That was because all I have ever known was pain and felt that I needed someone else to justify to me my worth..
At the age of twenty-three I was reunited with my biological mother after twenty-three years in October of 2015. I had been looking for her every since I was in the sixth grade. I wanted to find her so I could know if I had any siblings and know my medical history. I was so lonely growing up due to me being an only child, that it excited me to find out I had siblings! I also found out she has businesses and is very successful! When I met her I was filled with joy! I never thought I would get a chance to meet this lady after all these years. I found out I had two beautiful sisters that she raised. They are thirty and fourteen years old. As I got to know her, I would ask her questions about my biological dad and my other siblings on his side and she would get frustrated. She told me I just needed to move on with life and not to worry about why I was put up for adoption. She just told me my biological dad was 20 years older than her and he died 5 years ago of kidney failure. She also told me no one knew about me not even him. The only people who knew about me was her, her mom , and her siblings. My curiousity led her not wanting to have anything to do with me at this point of my life. She told me instead of me being grateful for us reuniting I’m asking too many questions. It hurt me so bad for her to be that way. After all those years of me searching for her and now she wants nothing to do with me.I felt that it was very unfair because she had raised my two siblings and she is in their lives and because of my curiosity she wants to fall back. Now here again all the reject and neglect from the past haunted me again. I was never mad at her. I actually forgave her because she chose to give me life.

To sum everything up I’ve been through many storms but God kept me through it all. I am such a strong person and a Overcomer! My pain was for someone else and I know that there is a purpose for me being here. Every single obstacle we face in life is for a reason. We may not understand it but god will give you double for your trouble if we keep faith! I graduated high school and went too college. I have a daughter who loves me and I love her more than life. I am striving to be the best mother to her. Even though my parents were not the best parents, I still love them so very much and I know they love me. Often, people will keep a cycle going of what they have been through but I choose to break the cycle. It’s so many people that have endured so much pain and still dealing with pain but will not speak on it. Or maybe they are content with it. I am the voice that will speak on it because it’s a serious issue. I believe my story is going to be a testimony to help a lot of people. I’m here to let people know that God is able to heal any broken wounds. I am the product of someone who was healed. Remember God loves you and so do I! Always put him first and he will direct your paths! I hope I’ve helped someone:) Thank you! -Angel Morris
Email: angel.morris2012@yahoo.com

Sheronda L. Barksdale is The Vision Specialist™. She is the co-founder of Unlimited Love and Life Coaching, LLC., where they are taking a holistic approach to breaking the barriers of love and life. She is also a Life Empowerment Coach, Author, and Professional Speaker, as well as the co-host of the Blog Talk Radio Show, Love Unlimited: Relationship Coaching with Kim and Sheronda. Sheronda specializes in, stress management, time management, relationship coaching, motivation, and spiritual and personal growth. website http://unlimitedloveandlife.com

Happy Mother’s Day today to the most beautiful and hardest working human beings on the earth.

Love, Diana Bellerose

The best gift for me was the opportunity to meet this powerful woman and learn her story yesterday at Third Place Books in Seattle WA. Her powerful journey touched my heart and soul. I cannot wait to interview her on my radio show and learn even more, I am confident her spiritual path will make a difference on the lives of so many women and man.

Lori Ann Davis is an author, Certified Relationship Specialist, radio host and speaker. Lori has a unique and passionate approach to love and relationships and believes that all people deserve and can have the relationships of their dreams. She has over twenty-eight years of experience empowering individuals and couples to live richer, happier lives. She has a private practice in Charlotte, N.C., and also provides relationship coaching by phone to people throughout the United States. Her practice spans the spectrum from dating and singles to working through divorce to renewing long-term marriages. In addition to workshops, classes, couples’ retreats, and a Charlotte-based singles group, Lori’s radio show ‘Ask Lori’ on WGIVCharlotte has become a popular medium to share relationship information with millions of listeners.

Erin Cull is a survivor of a sexual and domestic violence situation. She has a way of telling her story through speaking it and leaving the words behind. Leaving what happened behind. Her story is a traumatic one, but she strives to help others with community walks, police force and other organizations.